NC budget passed: $94 million coming to Rutherford County
There's also a troubling public records provision.
The North Carolina General Assembly gave final approval to the 2023 Appropriations Act in late September, which included $94 million for Rutherford County, according to a recent press release from NC House Speaker Rep. Tim Moore (R-111th District). The 111th District covers two counties, parts of Cleveland and parts of Rutherford.
Moore said, “While I am disappointed that Governor Cooper has refused to sign the budget, I am grateful for the bipartisan support it has received.”
Governor Roy Cooper announced that he would not sign the budget, but it became law without his signature, pursuant to the state constitution. The budget includes Medicaid expansion, a long-sought goal for Cooper and other Democrats, NC Newsline reported. The budget also further erodes governors’ powers while giving legislative leaders more influence over the judiciary.
Most troubling to journalists and government accountability supporters, is the provision allowing legislators to operate out of public view. NC Treasurer Dale Folwell criticized GOP legislators’ budget provision which allows public records to be sold or destroyed, NC Newsline reported. Folwell, a Republican who is running for Governor in 2024, said, “Allowing individual lawmakers to determine what records are public and what material can be destroyed without ever seeing the sunshine of public view creates a system that does not have standards or accountability.”
House Deputy Majority Whip Rep. Jake Johnson (R-113th District), said, “I am pleased to share that, through careful budget planning and collaboration with fellow representatives, we have secured millions in funding for various initiatives and projects right here in Rutherford County.” The 113th District covers four counties, including parts of Henderson, McDowell, Polk, and Rutherford.
Rutherford County will receive the following, per Speaker Moore and the FY 2023-24 budget:
$30.5 million to Rutherford County for capital improvements including improvements to the detention center and construction of a new sheriff’s office
$30 million for Isothermal Community College for the new Health Sciences Building
$8 million for Chimney Rock Village water and sewer improvements
$1 million to the Town of Ellenboro for water and sewer upgrades
$4.578 million to the Town of Forest City for water and sewer upgrades
$3.63 million to the Town of Rutherfordton for water and sewer upgrades
$4 million to the Town of Rutherfordton for capital improvements including repair and renovations to municipal buildings
$1.65 million to the Town of Rutherfordton for fire and rescue department equipment
$2 million for the Town of Spindale for improvements to the town hall and fire and police services
$1.9 million to the Green Hill Volunteer Fire Department
$3 million to the Shiloh-Danieltown-Oakland Volunteer Fire Department
$1.2 million to Rutherford County Schools for upgrades and equipment for high school athletic facilities
$1.35 million to the Town of Bostic for water and sewer upgrades and stormwater infrastructure
$475,000 to the Bill’s Creek Community Volunteer Fire Department
$700,000 to the Town of Bostic for the Bostic Volunteer Fire Department
Moore said, “I am proud to have secured the much-needed funding for Rutherford County and the many projects that will address immediate needs, revitalization for the future, and much more. Together, we will continue to make Rutherford County a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.”
“This funding is a testament to our shared commitment to the prosperity of Rutherford County. I want to express my gratitude to my colleagues, community leaders, and all residents who have been actively involved in advocating for these investments,” Johnson said.
Moore said, “Thanks to the surplus achieved as a result of the last several years of fiscal responsibility by the Republican-led General Assembly, the 2023 Appropriations Act not only invests in the most pressing needs of North Carolinians, but includes several policy wins for our state. Some of these policies include fighting the onerous Green New Deal, enacting universal school choice, implementing election security, providing income tax relief, banning COVID-19 mandates, and more.”
Cops & Congress by Annie Dance is a service journalism newsletter, focusing on police, policy, and public records in the Lake Lure, NC area. It is free to read, but it is not free to produce. Please click on the button below to support my work.
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